Spiritual Gifts │The Gift of Exhortation

The Spiritual Gift of Exhortation

Class of Gift: Counseling

“or he who exhorts, in his exhortation;”

Romans 12:8, Page 1775

Section One

Introduction

1.1 Every Born-Again Christian Has at Least One Spiritual Gift. Every born-again believer in Jesus Christ has received a spiritual gift from the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, page 1796). Please recall also that one spiritual gift may have a variety of ministries, with a variety of spiritual effects (1 Corinthians 12:4-7, page 1796). Therefore, if you have the spiritual gift of exhortation, that single gift may result in a variety of ministries, producing a variety of effects. Furthermore, if you have the spiritual gift of exhortation, your ministry may look very different from another believer with the same gift of exhortation. Your ministries of the same spiritual gift may produce very different effects. So, one gift may result in different ministries, and each ministry may produce very different spiritual effects.

1.2 Meaning of the Term “Exhortation.” The term used to describe the gift of exhortation in Romans 12:8, page 1775, literally means to call along side of you (“παρακαλῶν”). In Romans 12:8, page 1775, Paul did not define this term. Therefore, I understand that Paul recognized that his readers would be familiar with the normal usage of this term “exhorting,” preserved for us in Scripture, and it would serve as our guide to understanding this spiritual gift of exhortation.

1.3 The New Testament Diversity of the Term “Exhortation.” The Greek term translated here as exhortation has diverse applications in the New Testament. As you read through these varying uses of the term “to call along side,” please keep in mind that I interpret these passages below as examples on the one hand of spiritual activities all believers will do at times; but, on the other hand, the person with the spiritual gift of exhortation in the forms described below will have a special gift from God to edify believers and build up unity. Let us explore some of those uses to gain insight into the different ways God gifts people to exhort in His name and in His ministry to the Body of Christ. We will see below that the spiritual gift of exhortation involves different major areas of ministry. We will look at them one at a time.

Section Two

The Ministry of Exhortation: Foundations

2.1 Exhort: Basic Meaning. Exhortation has the traditional meaning of advising, instructing, and calling upon urgently. In the New Testament, the spiritual gift of exhortation has many ministries and effects (1 Corinthians 12:4-6, page 1796).

2.2 Exhortation: Teaching and Refuting. As we hold fast the faithful word of God’s teaching, we will be able both to exhort (“παρακαλεῖν”) in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict (Titus 1:9, page 1866). In this case, the spiritual gift of exhortation focuses upon taking action (encouraging sound doctrine and refuting those who contradict) based upon the teaching and applying the word of God.

2.3Exhortation: Preaching. Biblical preaching includes exhorting (“παρακαλέσας”) believers from the Word of God. Paul exhorted believers as he preached the Bible to them (Acts 20:1-2, page 1739). The spiritual gift of exhortation includes taking the Word of God to elders and other believers to strengthen them and prepare them for further service.

2.4Exhortation: Godly Living. Paul also exhorted (“παρακαλοῦμεν”) the Thessalonians to Godly living (1 Thessalonians 4:1, page 1849). Likewise, in Hebrews 13:22, page 1887, we see a similar idea of urging believers to bear with all the word of exhortation contained in the New Testament book of Hebrews. In passing, please note that the spiritual gift of prophecy also relates to the spiritual gift of exhortation. Exhortation does not relate to new revelation from God (the spiritual gift of prophecy), but rather the use of the Word of God (revealed through spiritual gift of prophecy e prophecy) to edify the lives of believers and promote sound doctrine. The spiritual gift of exhortation includes the proper, spiritual application of expository teaching from the Word of God (1 Corinthians 14:31, page 1800). This spiritual gift links the Word of God with action based upon it. That action can be refutation, instruction, and application of teaching.

Section Three

The Ministry of Imploring

3.1 Exhortation: Imploring. The spiritual gift of exhortation includes, at times, the act of imploring someone to do something. The term “implore” means to beg or request with urgency and in a serious manner to do something.

3.2 Exhortation: Imploring God To Act Now. Consider the centurion who came to Jesus, imploring Him to help a tormented servant (Matthew 8:6, page 1512). Although that centurion was not demonstrating the spiritual gift of exhortation, he does illustrate the passion and urgency of the gift of exhortation when it comes to imploring. The centurion stands for the concept that the spiritual gift of exhortation includes, at times, an urgent, forceful appeal for help from God.

3.3Exhortation: Imploring Believers To Walk Worthy of Their Calling by the Lord Jesus. Paul implored (“Παρακαλῶ”) the Ephesians to walk worthy of their calling (Ephesians 4:1, page 1830). One aspect of the spiritual gift of exhortation includes the gift of imploring people to take action, and specifically, to do the will of God. In your life, you may recall a time when someone implored you to walk with God, to do His will.

Section Four

Exhortation: The Ministry of Comfort

4.1 Exhortation: Comforting. Believers blessed with the ministry of comforting show one aspect of the spiritual gift of Exhortation. Comfort can result in a variety of ministries and a variety of effects.

4.1.1Exhortation: Comforting the Afflicted. God Himself really cares about each believer and comforts them. He also provides the spiritual gift of comforting, which goes beyond the duty and privilege of every believer to comfort others. Some believers who have the spiritual gift of comforting have been trained by God using affliction in their lives. In 2 Corinthians 1:4, page 1804, we read: “God comforts (“παρακαλῶν”) believers in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort (“παρακαλεῖν”) those who are in any affliction with the comfort (“παρακλήσεως”) with which we ourselves are comforted (“παρακαλούμεθα”) by God.” Even while they are still suffering with their own afflictions, by God’s strength and gift, they reach out and call alongside others suffering their own afflictions and comfort them with God’s comfort that they have experienced firsthand (2 Corinthians 1:4, page 1804). When believers face serious affliction and need comforting, God sends a person with the spiritual gift of comforting.

4.1.2Exhortation: Comforting the Grieving. When believers see a loved one die, we do not grieve as other people who have no hope. We comfort (“παρακαλεῖτε”) one another with the knowledge that each believer who has left the body is present with the Lord. Furthermore, each body will be resurrected in glory when Christ Jesus comes in the clouds to rapture His saints in Christ. The saint with the spiritual gift of comfort will apply God’s gracious truth to the grieving in a special outpouring of spiritual activity (1 Thessalonians 4:18, page 1850).

4.1.3Exhortation: Comforting the Repentant. Every believer must comfort (“παρακαλέσαι”) believers who confess their sins, so that they will not be overwhelmed by sorrows (2 Corinthians 2:7, page 1806). Yet, this spiritual gift of exhortation provides special comfort for restoring the repentant soul as it hurts from sin. Indeed, when the church imposes discipline upon a believer, the goal will always be restoration (Galatians 6:1, 1826). After repentance, restoration comes with comforting. In contrast to the exhortation gift that implores, or exhorts in the narrow sense, this gift follows up with people who have strayed, repented and now need comforting.

4.1.4 Exhortation: Comforting the Depressed. God comforts (“παρακαλῶν”) the depressed, and sent Titus who comforted (“παρεκάλεσεν”) Paul. (2 Corinthians 7:6, page 1811). The word used for depression here (“ταπεινοὺς”) means low, humble, or brought low with grief. God used the arrival of Titus to encourage Paul and his companions. The spiritual gift here brings comfort to the grieving, the lowly, the emotionally turmoiled and downtrodden.

Section Five

Exhortation: The Ministry of Appealing

5.1 Exhortation: Appealing. Another area of exhortation includes appealing. Jude wrote to believers, appealing (“παρακαλῶν”) to them to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints (Jude 1:3, page 1912). Compare the effect of love motivating Paul to appeal to Philemon for Onesimus his runaway slave (Philemon 1:9, page 1868; compare Philemon 1:10 for the same word used to appeal). Some believers possess the special gift of interceding for another person, and appealing for them and appealing to another believer to do the gracious thing.

Section Six

Exhortation: The Ministry of Urging

6.1 Exhortation: Urging. The ministry of urging believers falls into four related areas.

6.1.1 Exhortation: Urging Sensible Living. Paul urged (“παρακάλει”) the young men to be sensible (“σωφρονεῖν”) (Titus 2:6, page 1866). At times, we all need urging to live a more sensible, and less unrestrained, life. In particular, this word sensible includes the idea of restraining passions. God gifts some people to urge you to live under control, and not in runaway passions. While this gift may be full of emotion like imploring, it also brings all emotions under the control of God. The spiritual gift of exhortation includes the ministry of urging believers to live sensibly.

6.1.2 Exhortation: Urging Completion. Likewise, Paul and his group urged (“παρακαλέσαι”) Titus that he may complete (“ἐπιτελέσῃ”) the collection for the poor begun among the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:6, page 1812). The spiritual gift of exhortation includes the ministry of urging believers to complete the spiritual work they have begun.

6.1.3 Exhortation: Urging Believers to Get Along. This urging may be directed to fellow believers to get along: “I urge (“παρακαλῶ”) Euodia and I(“παρακαλῶ”) urge Syntyche to live in harmony (“τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν”) in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2, page 1839). Some believers possess the gift of urging people to reconcile their differences and live together in peace. The spiritual gift of exhortation includes the ministry of urging believers to get along with each other so that they live in harmony.

6.1.4 Exhortation: Urging Believers to Abstain from Fleshly Lusts. Peter wrote: “I urge you (“παρακαλῶ”)” . . . to abstain from fleshly lusts (1 Peter 2:11, page 1895). Fleshly lusts plague all believers, but some believers God empowers with a special gift to urge us to abstain from indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind. The spiritual gift of exhortation includes the ministry of urging believers to abstain from fleshly lusts.

Section Seven

Exhortation: The Ministry of Encouraging

7.1 Exhortation: Encouraging. In contrast to what many believers think and practice, God wants to encourage your life. Believers must encourage one another and build up one another in Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:11, page 1850). The spiritual gift of encouragement often includes a note of urgency.

7.1.1 Exhortation: Encouraging Today. Because of the deceitfulness of sin, and the way it hardens our hearts, we need encouragement right now, today. We must encourage (“παρακαλεῖτε”) one another as long is it is “Today,” so that no one will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13, page 1872). The spiritual gift of exhortation includes the ministry of encouraging believers today.

7.1.2 Exhortation: Encouraging Strength and Faith. Paul sent Timothy ahead to Thessalonica to strengthen and encourage (“παρακαλέσαι”) their faith (1 Thessalonians 3:2, page 1848). The spiritual gift of exhortation includes the ministry of encouraging strength and faith in believers.

7.1.3 Exhortation: Encouraging To Endure Tribulations. Paul and Silas returned to cities, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging (“παρακαλοῦντες”) them to continue in their faith, and saying ‘Through many trials and tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God’” (Acts 14:22, page 1728). As believers, tribulations will come into our lives, and we should consider ourselves blessed. God has already made us more than conquerors, and believers gifted by God with encouragement remind us of that fact all the time. The spiritual gift of exhortation includes the ministry of encouraging believers to continue in their faith, even when they encounter tribulations, knowing that they will enter the kingdom of God after suffering on earth.

Section Eight

Exhortation: The Ministry of Conciliating

8.1 Exhortation: Conciliating. Finally, consider the ministry of conciliating. Paul said: “When we are slandered (“δυσφημούμενοι”), we try to conciliate (“παρακαλοῦμεν”);” (1 Corinthians 4:13, page 1786). While we all should follow the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12, page 1506), God provides a special gift of reaching out to people who are speaking evil untruths about you. This type of conciliation touches the lives of the believers who have created significant distance in their relationships with other Christians. Conciliation brings them together, even in the face of one person being sinful. The spiritual gift of exhortation includes the ministry of conciliation.

Section Nine

Summary of the Spiritual Gift of Exhortation

9.1 Summary. Summarizing this spiritual gift of exhortation does not seem easy, except to make the following points.

9.1.1 Exhortation: Many Ministries. The Spiritual Gift of Exhortation comes in many Biblical forms, producing a variety of effects, and a variety of ministries.

9.1.2. Exhortation: Up Close and Personal. The Spiritual Gift of Exhortation is up close and personal. It often rests upon establishing a personal relationship.

9.1.3Exhortation: Calling Love, with Purpose. Exhortation literally involves getting close to people in love, and calling to them in love, with a purpose.

Section Ten

Hallmarks of the Spiritual Gift of Exhortation

10.1 Exhortation: Understanding the Spiritual Gift. Beverly, my wife, went through this study with me recently. She said: “Wow, I may have this spiritual gift now that I understand it.” Sometimes careful study may lead you to know more about how God has gifted you for service. Remember that our spiritual unity and maturity depend upon all of the saints, and not the “clergy,” doing the work of service to God by ministering to the Body of Christ.Please recall that the list below indicates some of the ministries exhortation-gifted believers perform in service to Jesus Christ our Lord.

♦ Exhortation-gifted believers teach and refute.

♦ Exhortation-gifted believers preach.

♦ Exhortation-gifted believers encourage Godly-living.

♦ Exhortation-gifted believers encourage other believers to act now.

♦ Exhortation-gifted believers to walk worthy of their calling in Jesus Christ.

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Spiritual Help

Eternal Life

People often ask me about how they can find spiritual peace. They tell me about their serious illness, divorce, drug addiction, alcoholism, and many other problems that grieve them. So many people share with me that they have never felt truly loved in their entire life, even though they have been married for decades, and have grandchildren. So many people feel a spiritual hunger and thirst within themselves. Jesus loves people and wants you to know all about His great love. He called it the greatest news anyone will ever hear. So, let me share with you about Jesus, Who loves you today. In Jesus, you can receive peace with God today. Jesus alone provides spiritual peace.

Romans 10:9

“Jesus asks you: ‘Why should I let you into My heaven?'”

Let me start with a question. Imagine you were to die today, and stand before Jesus Christ. Imagine further that Jesus looked at you and asked: “Why should I let you into My heaven?”
Take a moment and think about what you would say to Jesus. I have personally asked that question to hundreds and hundreds of people, if not thousands, one person at a time. Jesus always deals personally with you. He knows your name, and loves you personally. Jesus knows your good points and your bad points.

Romans 3:23

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

As God in the flesh, Jesus totally understands who we are as sinners. Sinners fall short of the glory of God. Sin separates us from spiritual peace with God today. In God’s eyes, we all fall short of the glory of God. We do not act perfectly all of the time and so fall short of His glory. We tell lies, we think impure thoughts, we do things we know we should not have done. The road to peace with God starts with understanding that we all sin and we all fall short of the glory of God. As sinners, we tend to hide our sins in darkness, but Jesus helps us recognize that we are sinners and need to come into the light of God. We take the first steps down the path of peace with God by agreeing with God that we are sinners. God helps us walk down the path of peace with God by His divine power. Only by God’s power can I change my mind and accept the truth that I am a sinner. I must repent of my sin and seek God’s forgiveness for my sin. How do I find forgiveness?

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus, the Son of God, offers forgiveness to sinners as a gift. In order to have peace with God, we must receive God’s gift of forgiveness. Before we can grasp God’s offer of forgiveness, we must understand God’s justice and how it works. God tells us that justice imposes a penalty upon sin. God said that the wages of sin is death. Just as we earn wages for our work, so sin earns the wage of death. This spiritual death results from us sinning and falling short of the glory of God. God cannot remain just, and simply ignore our sin. Justice requires that every sin be paid by the death penalty. You have sinned so you deserve to die spiritually. Sin causes the spiritual death of the sinner. Now let us focus upon the gift of God: forgiveness. As a sinner, deserving death, I really do not deserve a gift of eternal life. Instead of death, God wants me to have eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yet, my sin blocks me from having eternal life. To sinners God loves to give the free gift of eternal life. Although I have earned the death penalty by sinning, God offers me eternal life as a free Christmas gift. I cannot earn the gift of eternal life, and I do not deserve the gift of eternal life. God just wants me to have His gift of eternal life. God purchased the gift of eternal life, just for me, the sinner. Why would God give me gift of eternal life?

Romans 5:8

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

God gives the free gift of eternal life to sinners because God loves sinners like me. The road to peace with God means that I learn and accept that God loves sinners. Jesus came to love sinners. While I was a sinner, God loved me. So many people think that God hates sinners, but God tells us just the opposite right in this verse. I do not have to clean up my life before God will love me. God loves sinners. God gives the gift of eternal life to sinners, not to perfect people. You see, the gift of eternal life means that I believe that Jesus as God died for me on the cross. I recognize that I deserve the death penalty because I sinned, but Jesus took my place on the cross and died for all my sin. He satisfied God’s justice by paying the death penalty for me. God now offers me a free gift of eternal life, because Jesus loves sinners, and gave His life to die on the cross to pay for all my sins. Jesus demonstrated God’s love for sinners. How do I accept the free gift of God?

Romans 10:9

“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

You accept the free gift of God by confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. We believe that God told us the truth that we fall short of the glory of God because we are sinners. Wonderfully, God loves sinners just like me. God purchased the gift of eternal life for me. I reach out by faith alone to accept the free gift from God. I believe that God sent Jesus as God in the flesh to die for me on the cross. Jesus paid the death penalty for me. Jesus satisfied the justice of God. New life in Jesus Christ begins with faith and continues for eternity. You can accept the free gift of eternal life right now, no matter where you are. Pray this prayer of faith.

Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner and fall short of the glory of God.

Lord Jesus, I confess that I deserve the death penalty. I repent of my sins.

Lord Jesus, I believe that You died on the cross in my place, because You loved me and paid the death penalty for me.

Lord Jesus, I confess you as Lord of my life.

Lord Jesus, I believe that God raised You from the dead. I accept right now Your gift of forgiveness for all my sins, and thank You for saving me.

Amen.

If you prayed that prayer in faith, please send me an email through the contact box. I look forward to getting to know you and help you walk daily with Jesus Christ. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit of God comes into our lives and makes us new creations. You have an abundant life in front of you, filled with joy and peace with God. We must learn from Jesus, and He is humble and gentle with us.